Camera movement, shot size/angle

There is a large amount of close ups ( a shot which shows a detail/expression) in the first 5 minutes of Amelie, compared to other openings that would use more mid-shots and establishing shots to introduce the settings and characters in a more obvious way. Jean-Pierre Jeunet  did the opposite of this, to introduce the movie in a slightly unfamiliar way, but still convey the ideas well.

The first shot is almost expected, an establishing shot. This shot doesn't change for a good 10 seconds, and has a low angle, like the camera has been placed on the road. It almost has the feel of a photo, as the camera doesn't move very much at all. This shot helps set the scene, as it shows a suburban area. The following establishing shot shows the Eiffel Tower in the background, immediately indicating the film is set in Paris (highlighted in the blue square on the screencap, I added this unlike the sperm circling in a previous post).

After the outdoor shots, there is a midshot of  character never mentioned again. He is introduced with a standard introduction to character (mid-shot zooming in to a close-up). This displays the characters emotions well, which is important because it is an emotional moment for him as he erases his best friend's phone number from his address book. Sticking to the normal set up makes sure the viewer understands what is happening and doesn't think 'what is up with this movie?'.
To keep them interested though, he changes this set up when introducing Amelie. The first shot you see of Amelie, is a close up of her hands. Then there is a shot of her mouth. The next shot shows her face, but it is being squished against a clear plastic/glass wall. You have to wait 30 seconds into this montage before you can get a clear view of what Amelie looks like, while wearing fruit as earrings.

This shooting style (zoomed introduction/shots) introduces the idea that small details are important to the film. Small details/chance events change Amelie's fate (in a good way) in almost a chain reaction style, so it is good that this idea is introduced early in the film.

 Detail shots are used often to reveal what the characters like which backs up the small details are important. They are what make each of the characters special and different. The most comparative detail shot is the red circle drawn around that sperm shot (I didn't notice how significant that shot was until doing this asignment and it popping up so often) and the red circle drawn around a spot/bug in the scene when Amelie is discussing what she likes. The circles used are exactly the same colour and size, and this creates a nice continuity to the films style. Midshots are also frequently used throughout the film, to add to the continuity and keep the style of the shots neat.